Driving axle assembly for land vehicles



April 13, 1954 B. J. DR'OZINSKI 2,675,085

DRIVING AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR LAND VEHICLES Original Filed Aug. 30, 1948 /3 1,32 /7 \f W Il mw i l Patented Apr. 13, 1954 DRIVING AXLE ASSEMBLY FOR LAND VEHICLES Bronislaw J Drozinski, Cleveland, Ohio Substituted for application Serial No. 46,750, Au-

gust 30, 1948. This application October 14, 1952, Serial No. 314,706

2 Claims. l

The present invention relates to a driving axle assembly for automotive vehicles, such as trucks and automobiles.

The instant application is a substitute application for applicants original forfeited application Serial No. 46,750, filed August 30, 1948.

An object of the invention is to provide a driving axle assembly for automotive vehicles which enables the output shaft olf the gear transmission to be disposed adjacent to the differential gearing whereby the engine, clutch and transmission can be mounted on the same end of the vehicle as the differential and driving axles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driving axle assembly for power driven vehicles which furnishes torque to driving wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle in such a manner that each driving wheel may move vertically relative to the chassis independently of the other wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a driving axle for automotive vehicles in which the differential gearing is attached directly to the chassis and the driving wheels are individually spring mounted to the chassis.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top view in elevation of a `vehicle chassis with the engine and driving axle assembly mounted thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view in section of a driving axle and housing.

Heretofore the structure for driving axles for automotive vehicle axle assemblies consisted of a housing enclosing the differential and axle and which housing supported one end of the chassis by suitable springs. In traversing rough terrain the entire axle housing and differential would be affected by irregularities encountered by one or other wheels causing the differential to move vertically relative to the chassis. With this type of construction it was necessary to provide space for this vertical relative movement of the chassis and differential housing and it also constituted a substantial unsprung load on the wheels. Furthermore, since the engine and transmission were substantially xed to the chassis some form of flexible drive connection was necessary to connect the transmission and differential.

In the present invention I propose to mount the differential and its housing directly tothe chassis and provide means for permitting vertical movement of the drive wheels relative to the chassis and differential, the wheels supporting the chassis by springs. This construction permits a lowering of the center of gravity of the chassis by xing the differential relative to the chassis thereby eliminating the usual vertical clearance, and it also relieves the wheels of considerable unsprung weight which reduces shocks on the driving gear and provides better riding qualities of the chassis. In addition, my structure permits the engine and transmission to be mounted adjacent to the differential gearing so that these elements constitute a power unit which can be mounted on one end of the chassis for driving the wheels at that end of the vehicle.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown a chassis I0 for an automobile in which the en.- gine and driving wheels are mounted at one end of the automobile, for example, the rear end. The chassis, which is not shown in its entirety, comprises two longitudinal outer members I I and I2 interconnected by two cross members I3 and I4. A pair of channel members I5 are connected between cross members I3 and I4 for supporting the engine E. and transmission T and the differential housing I0. The engine andtransmission are connected to the chassis by suitable bolts, not shown, and the differential housing is firmly secured to the chassis by bolts I6a which attach the housing to members I5. Preferably, the transmission housing is connected to the differential housing so that the length of the connecting shaft between the transmission and differential is negligible. The longitudinal members II and I2 are arched at I1 to form a freeway for vertical movement of the axles at the wheels, to be described hereinafter. A pair of bars I8 are mounted between the members I5 and the frame members II and I2, respectively, at the portions I 'I to lend lateral support to these parts of the frame.

The axle assembly comprises the differential housing IB in which the usual differential gearing is mounted, the output shafts I0 of which differential gearing, only one of which is shown, extend through journal portions 2I and 22 on opposite sides of the housing. Each of the output shafts is connected to an axle member 23, only one of which is shown, through universal joints 24. Each of the axles 23 are adapted to carry a driving wheel of the vehicle, not shown, and each axle is enclosed in a tubular housing 25, which housing terminates short of the universal joint connection 24. A flexible sleeve 26 is secured intermediate the differential housing and the inner end of the housing 25 to exclude dirt from and to retain lubricant in the housings. The flexible sleeves permit the housings 25 and axles therein to swing fas a 'unit Amore or less freely in a vertical arc about an axis 'at the end of the output shafts of the differential gearing.

The outer ends of the housings 25 extend below arch portions I1 of the frame and they are provided with spring brackets 39 which provide seats 3| for receiving two coil spr-ings 32. The upper ends of the springs 32 vare received in similar seats 33 formed in brackets l34 attached to and extending laterally from the arches il of the chassis frame. Thus, it will be seen that the chassis is supported by the drive wheels through the medium of the housings 25, but the housings and Wheels may move vertically to the chassis Aindependently of the dineren-tial vhousing f6 which is attached to 'the central portion ofthe chassis.

Movement of `each of the housings 25 in an arc in the horizontal plane is prevented 'by two braces `40, 'one end 'of which braces are pivotally attached tothe differential housingr IE by studs Il! rand the opposite ends of which are attached to vthe 'brackets 30 by pins `42. The 'inner ends of `the lbraces are lpivoted cn `substantially the same axis as the universal joints 2i. sol that the braces 'may swing in a vertical arc corresponding to that `f theaXle housing 25.

Although inthe form of the invention disclosed lI have `sho-wn the engine mounted adjacent to the differential, as would be the case -of a rear engine drive automobile -or a front drive automobile wth the engine in the front, it will be ap'- parent that the invention could be used with the Aen'gineat the opposite end of the chassis.

Another advantage in providing for individual vertical movements of the drive axles is that :greater stability is 'afforded the vehicle in roundy ing curves in that during any tipping of the vehicle the wheel bear-ing the load will remain in a vertical `plane rather than tilting as in .previous constructions Aemploying a rigid axle structure.

Although I have described but one form lof Vthe invention. it will be apparent that other forms of the invention might be adopted, all falling within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

l. In a road vehicle having a chassis and running gear, a rigid frame comprising dropi type side frame bars, transversely extending crosssupports secured to said side frame sbars, centrally disposed longitudinally 'extending channel members secured to said cross-supports and truss 'members interconnecting said channel members and said'side :frame bars, said truss members extending upwardly and angularly from the channel members to the high point of drop frame bars, a

pair of vdrivingaxles and housings therefor, difterential gearing and housing for said axles xedly mounted on said channel members and between vsaid cross-supports and being disposed thereon below the high 'point of said drop frame bars, universal joints interconnecting the differential and axles whereby the axles may move vertically relative to the differential, a l*pa-ir of braces vdisposed on vopposite sides of Ieach driving axle and in the same horizontal plane therewith, said braces being pivotally `attached 'to the dif- 'erential housing closely `adjacent the said universal joints and being attached to theaxle housings adjacent the side frame bars, and lspring means between the axles and side frame bars for resilientiy supporting the chassis on the axles.

2. In a `road vehicle lhaving a chassis and running gear as characterized in rclaim 1, the vbraces lbeing pivotally attached to the diierential housing von anaxis substantially coinciding with'the axes of the 'universal `joints.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED 'STATES PATENTS 

